Two friends were once going through a forest. One of them said to the other, “if any beast attacks you, I will stay with you and help you.” The other friend said, “I will stand by you too in your danger.”
Before they had gone far, a big bear came rushing towards them out of a. thicket. At once one of the friends, in great fear, climbed up a tree. He hid himself among the branches. The other was fat and sound able to get up. So he fell on the ground with face downwards and held his breath; for he had heard that a bear would never touch a dead body.
The bear came up to him and smelt his face. But the man lay quite still. The bear, supposing him to be dead, went away.
When all was safe, the man who had climbed up the tree came down to his friend and asked, “What (lid the bear say to you? I saw him putting his mouth close to your ears.” The friend said in reply, “The bear told me not to trust a friend who runs away in time of danger.”
Before they had gone far, a big bear came rushing towards them out of a. thicket. At once one of the friends, in great fear, climbed up a tree. He hid himself among the branches. The other was fat and sound able to get up. So he fell on the ground with face downwards and held his breath; for he had heard that a bear would never touch a dead body.
The bear came up to him and smelt his face. But the man lay quite still. The bear, supposing him to be dead, went away.
When all was safe, the man who had climbed up the tree came down to his friend and asked, “What (lid the bear say to you? I saw him putting his mouth close to your ears.” The friend said in reply, “The bear told me not to trust a friend who runs away in time of danger.”
